Stan Bond: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: MontgomeryWebsite: www.ElectStanBond.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/stanbondFacebook: Facebook.com/BondforClerkOffice sought: Kane County Clerk Age: 68Family: Marion Bond (wife, married 39 years) Elizabeth Bond-Abbott (Savoy, IL) Sarah Bond-Paddock (Elburn, IL) Three grandsons: Max, Nolan, WyattOccupation: Information Technology Dept. Kane CountyEducation: Bachelor of Science Degree - Dean's List Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Master's Level Coursework Southern Illinois University at CarbondaleCivic involvement: Village Trustee, Village of Montgomery Founding Member: The Montgomery Foundation President, Fairfield Way-Foxmoor Neighborhood Watch Precinct Committeeman, Sugar Grove 2 Chairman, Montgomery Beautification Committee Montgomery's Got Talent Organizer and MC Little Free Library Sponsor and Proponent Montgomery Boosters Association Notary Public Save the Cannon Restoration - Riverside Cemetery in Montgomery ChiliFest Organizer (6 years) Adopt-A-Highway Litter Volunteer US Route 30 Photography Volunteer: Police Halloween Safety Event, Montgomery River RunElected offices held: Batavia Library Trustee Village of Montgomery Trustee Precinct Committeeman Batavia 20 Precinct Committeeman Sugar Grove 02 Chairman, Western Kane County Republican Organization IL GOP State Central Committeeman, 14th Congressional DistrictQuestions Answers What is the correct number of polling places to have that both ensures an efficient operation but also a timely voting process on election days?Election law specifically calls for precincts with a minimum of 500 voters and maximum of 800 voters. 103 precincts in Kane County are 1,000 voters or more, with the largest reaching 5,174. Nine are below the 500-voter minimum. Long lines and delays result from (1) precincts which are too large, (2) from insufficient numbers of election judges, and (3) from unclear or unclean voter rolls. I have received many complaints from residents about long lines and delays at some polling places in Kane County, especially in rapidly growing areas. I have observed long lines of prospective voters leading out the doorway and onto sidewalks leading up to the polls myself. I am committed to working with the County Board to relieve overcrowding and to ensure the polling places we use reflect shifting population centers. That being said, the location and number of polling places are approved by the County Board and the Aurora Board of Election Commissioners. We can only have as many precincts and polling places as they agree to authorize and finance. The concern reflected in this question is a good one and I plan to address it promptly when elected. Both the size of many Kane County precincts and the number and location of polling places is long overdue for review and planning. For 16 long years, Kane County has not seen evidence of a desire to change or improve precinct and polling place strategies. I will make this a priority.Do you support the ongoing operation of the Aurora Election Commission?The incumbent County Clerk has not produced or publicly presented a sufficient business plan to truly inform voters about the costs, mechanics, and equipment consequences of merging the Aurora Election Commission into the Kane County Elections department. The failure of the incumbent County Clerk to lay out a document with real action steps, real requirements, and real costs makes it very difficult for the voting public (or the press) to have an informed perspective on this issue. As a candidate for the office of County Clerk, it is my responsibility to point out that the duty of the County Clerk's office is to carry out its duties as prescribed by law, and I do not believe this includes advocating on one side or the other of ballot questions. The clerk's office should ensure accurate ballots and accurate, efficient, cost effective elections. Attempts to influence on which side of issues votes should fall are not the rightful duty of the Kane County Clerk. However, I will whole heartedly support and manage whatever the citizens served by the Aurora Election Commission decide on March 20th, and if needed I will produce a sound management plan to address any changes needed changes within the Kane County election department and to account for needed services to the residents of Aurora.How will you ensure the security of ballots and guard against hacking efforts?This is an outstanding question, and frankly it is one of the reasons I am running for County Clerk. Everything about our democracy depends on fair, open and honest elections and on the absolute security of all election data. The Illinois State Board of Elections itself reported its servers had been hacked between June and July of 2016. The ISBE reported it is possible that some voter personal information, including driver's license numbers and the last four digits of Social Security numbers, could have been accessed for voters who entered that information when they registered to vote online. This is serious stuff for everyone. I have owned and operated a high technology business for more than 34 years operating countless servers and both local and wide area networks. Currently I am employed in the Information Technologies Department of Kane County, embedded in the Circuit Court Clerk's office, and working on a variety of e-initiatives. I have completed Level IV Criminal Justice Information System security and awareness training. My opponent has never declared any training or background in technology, network or computer security. This is a key point of difference between us and certainly a timely concern for the public now and in the foreseeable future. One of my first official acts when elected will be to perform a comprehensive security audit to identify security risks, areas for improvement and a specific plan of action. The audit will be updated frequently and the public's vital interests will be protected.Do you believe the county has taken all proper measures to allow for fair and equal access to voting for all residents?All citizens, not all residents, have the right to vote and it will be my job to make sure this right is protected. I will be required to take an oath to uphold the constitutional right of all citizens and I will not waste taxpayer dollars by inviting lawsuits for not doing my job, as the current County Clerk has. Ãâ#128;™In an effort to vindicate minority voting rights, Jenner Block sued the Kane County Clerk on Election Day (2006) to extend the voting hours of polling places whose openings were significantly delayed in Latino areas within the county west of Chicago.Ãâ#128;œ In 2007 the United States Department of Justice filed suit against the incumbent County Clerk and his office for failure to provide Spanish-speaking citizens of Kane County with Spanish language election information and assistance as prescribed by the national Voting Rights Act. In 2008, the Aurora Beacon News reported on a situation where the wrong ballots were used all day in two Dundee Townships and one Elgin Township precinct. "The errors were all human...." said County Clerk Cunningham. This too, is one of the important reasons I am running for County Clerk. NO, I do not believe the incumbent County Clerk has taken all proper measures during his 16 years in office to allow for fair and equal access to voting for all residents. My promise to the voters and to Kane County is that I WILL make this a priority. From Day One.Do you believe same-sex couples should be able to marry? Regardless of that personal belief, will you support the legal right of same-sex couples to marry if elected?My personal beliefs are irrelevant because I take an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois and the laws thereunder allow for same sex marriage. Public officials need to either separate their personal beliefs from their duty or resign, regardless of how strongly they hold those beliefs. I will follow the law to the best of my ability. I appreciate this question and know that it is a deeply held and sensitive issue, I respect that. The personal beliefs and willingness to support laws of the State of Illinois are fair questions for lawmakers in Illinois. But the County Clerk's office does not make laws. Its job, as is the case with all of us, is to follow the law to the best of its ability as long as such provisions are the law of the land.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Having spent much time walking precincts, calling on households and working fresh voter lists, I do not believe Kane County's voter rolls are anywhere near as clean as taxpayers expect and deserve. As I write this response to your questions in January 2018, a Sugar Grove resident who died in May of 2016 remains on Jack Cunningham's active voter list in 2018 and is qualified to vote in the upcoming election. We need a better spirit of cooperation with the County Board than is the style of the incumbent clerk. In 2014, Cunningham pled guilty for violating the County's Code of Ethics and was fined for using taxpayer resources for his political campaign. Hiring recently defeated Kane County Board member in 2017 also violated the County's Code of Ethics. Cunningham insisted the County Board has no authority to tell him how to run his office, and Brian Pollock remains a highly paid employee. The Daily Herald headlined "Former Kane Co Board Member's Job May Pose Ethical Question" and reported Mr. Pollock described his position as a 30-hour-per-week, part-time role. County finance projected Pollock's earnings for part time work to be $78,000 plus health, dental and pension benefits. Another important issue for me is enthusiasm for doing this job. In 2017, the incumbent Clerk attended only 25% (1 in 4) of the monthly County Board meetings. Yet, being the official record keeper for the County Board and keeping the County record is listed first among his duties in Illinois State Statutes.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Benjamin NetanyahuWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?What often seem to be insurmountable tasks are really just challenges to find ways to take first steps, and next steps, and follow throughIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Public ServiceWhat was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Journalism, English, Social Psychology, Interpersonal Communications Most people think the above subjects taught me to communicate, but they actually taught me to listenIf you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Make your life count. Time, and the people around you are precious. Take time to smell the roses and make time to plant them.